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The car heater plays a vital role in the comfort and safety of the driver and passengers during the cold season. Unlike the car's air conditioning system, which can cause issues such as reduced engine power during summer climbs due to high energy consumption, the car heater does not require extra energy and instead uses the heat produced by the engine to warm the cabin. This process is carried out through the ventilation system, utilizing the car's battery power. In this article, part of the Atlas Yadak series, we will discuss how the car heater works, maintenance tips, common issues that might prevent adequate heat production, and troubleshooting methods.

As mentioned earlier, the heat for the car's heater comes from the engine, specifically from the engine coolant. No additional energy is required to generate this heat, which is why older cars, such as the Peykan, were equipped with heaters even though they lacked air conditioning. A fluid circulates within the engine, one of its roles being to cool the engine down. This fluid, called engine coolant, absorbs the engine's heat. The coolant circulates continuously, passing through the car’s radiator, where it heats up the radiator walls.

The warm air entering the cabin is generated by a blower powered by the car's battery. Once the radiator walls heat up, or in other words, the engine's coolant temperature rises, the blower can be turned on, and the airflow can be adjusted to bring warm air into the vehicle.

How Long Does It Take for the Car Heater to Warm Up? The time needed for the air entering through the vents to warm up varies depending on several factors. The first factor is the temperature of the engine coolant. If the engine coolant is not warm, no matter how conductive the radiator material is, the heating system won't work. Older carburetor cars, for example, took around 15 minutes to reach the desired temperature for heater use. In modern fuel-injected cars, this time has been reduced to about 3 minutes.

Now that we've reviewed how the car heater works, let's discuss how to turn it on. Car air conditioning systems are generally divided into manual, automatic, or semi-automatic systems. Here, we will explore how to operate both types of car heaters.

Before turning on the heater, start the car and drive for a few minutes to allow the engine coolant temperature to rise. This indicates that the coolant circulating around the engine has warmed up.

To turn on the heater, rotate the fan speed control (number 2) clockwise. As shown in the image, when this control is on the fan symbol, the blower is off. Turning it clockwise will increase the speed of the warm air entering the vehicle.

Number 3 is the temperature control button. After adjusting the fan speed, adjust the temperature control. The left side, marked in blue, is for cold temperatures, while the right side is for hot temperatures. For the heater to transfer the maximum amount of warm air, the temperature control should be set to the farthest right position.

Number 1 is the air distribution control button. This allows you to direct the warm air into the cabin. From left to right, clockwise, the icons on this button represent the following:

1. Direct air to the passengers.

2. Simultaneous airflow to both the face and feet of the passengers.

3. Most of the air goes toward the feet, with some directed toward the face and windows.

4. A majority of the air flows toward the windshield and feet, with a small amount directed to the side windows.

5. Direct airflow toward the windshield.

If the cabin becomes foggy due to the passengers’ breath, lower the window slightly and direct some of the warm air toward the windows to clear the fog.

To control the cabin humidity, press button 5 (A/C). While this button is typically used for cooling, it also controls the humidity inside the car, and using it while the heater is on is not very common.

If you want to prevent outside air from entering the cabin, press button 4. This keeps the warm air circulating inside the cabin, which is especially useful when driving through a tunnel.

Buttons 6 to 10 are for the air vents that direct air into the cabin. You can manually control the direction of the warm airflow by adjusting these vents.

How to Turn On the Car Heater with an Automatic Climate Control System Turning on the car heater with an automatic climate control system is relatively easier. The image below shows the climate control panel in the Quick car model. Here’s how to turn on the heater in this type of car.

Button 1 is the display of the automatic climate control system.

Button 2 controls the fan speed. Turn it clockwise to increase the airflow.

Button 4 is the temperature control. Press the red button to increase the temperature, and each press adds one column to the temperature display, with a maximum of 8 columns in the Quick model. To lower the temperature, press button 5.

Button 6 (A/C) activates the air conditioner, but for heater use, this is not necessary. If the windows are fogged, you can press button 8 to clear the fog.

Button 9 controls the airflow direction. Press it once to circulate air inside the cabin, and press it again to bring in outside air. Button 3 (Mode) lets you set the distribution of the air inside the car, with 5 available modes, as we discussed earlier.

The material of the radiator body also plays a role in how quickly the heater warms up. In older cars, radiators were made of brass or copper, which were not ideal heat conductors. In modern cars, the heater core is made of aluminum, a much better heat conductor.

If the car heater doesn't work during the cold season, it can create serious discomfort for the passengers. However, a heater not producing heat could also be a sign of a bigger issue that should not be ignored. There are five main causes for the heater failing to produce warm air:

The main reason for the heater not working is a lack of hot engine coolant reaching the heater. In many cases, the hose connecting the radiator to the heater is clogged, which prevents proper heat transfer. Cleaning this hose can resolve the issue.

The engine coolant plays a key role in absorbing engine heat. If the coolant level drops due to leakage, it will not be able to absorb the necessary heat, and consequently, the air from the heater won’t be warm.

The thermostat regulates the engine coolant temperature. If it malfunctions, it can prevent the coolant from circulating properly, affecting the heat supplied to the heater.

The blower fan is responsible for pushing air through the heater system into the car. If it fails, warm air will not be delivered to the cabin.

The water pump circulates coolant to the engine. If it gets clogged or breaks, the flow of coolant to the engine will decrease, which can cause overheating and inadequate heat for the heater.

Ways to Improve Heater Performance To improve the performance of your car heater, follow these tips:

• Ensure the thermostat is in good condition.

• Set the temperature correctly.

• Check the engine coolant level before driving.

• Make sure the coolant circulation path is clear and the blower fan is functioning properly.

• Allow the car and blower to warm up while driving, rather than waiting for the car to heat up while stationary.

• If there are many passengers in the car, slightly lower the windows to ensure fresh air circulates.

• The A/C button is not only for cooling; it helps in controlling the cabin air quality.

• Before turning off the car at night, close the vents and set the temperature control to the blue (cold) setting. This prevents heat loss and helps the heater warm up faster the next day.

The A/C button is not just for cooling; it can help regulate the air quality inside the vehicle.

Older carburetor cars took about 15 minutes to reach the desired heating temperature. Modern fuel-injected cars require only about 3 minutes.

1. Incorrect temperature settings inside the cabin.

2. A faulty thermostat.

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